


The Father of the Fallen

by VintageScarletChevy



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst, Ashes Scene in Avengers: Infinity War Part 1, Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie) Spoilers, Happiness is non-existant, Hurt Peter, Parent Tony Stark, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Short One Shot, Tony Feels, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-07
Updated: 2019-01-07
Packaged: 2019-10-06 04:04:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 740
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17338244
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VintageScarletChevy/pseuds/VintageScarletChevy
Summary: Tony's perspective during the events of the snap.





	The Father of the Fallen

**Author's Note:**

> Here's a neat little pile of not so mild angst. Enjoy!

"Mr Stark I don't feel so good." _Not you too_. Tony's head felt both too light and too heavy as he turned to face the trembling fifteen year old, looking like no more than a kid in a costume, not a hero fighting the war that rattled the universe, just a child, staring at Tony like he was his last hope. But what could he do? 

How does someone think a way out of death?

An almost inaudible whimper startled him out of his frozen state, Tony rushed to him, a breath of air falling past his lips as he caught the boy who never should have been here in the first place. Who never should have been a hero, even if it was just a friendly neighbourhood one. Tony could do nothing to but listen to the boys terrified whispers as he gently lowered him to the ground. The whispers that would haunt his dreams for the rest of his life. The ones he would be the only one to hear as the universe collapsed around them. Turning into ashes. Not disintegrating in a blaze of fire, but in the snap of a heartless man's fingers.  _God you deserve better than this._ Tony thought, but he didn't say it, he didn't offer meaningless platitudes, he didn't murmur a sentimental goodbye, he didn't say a word. If nothing else, Peter deserved to have his last words heard, without interruption. 

He drew in a sharp breath and Tony just _knew_. "I'm sorry." His eyes shone, reflecting the small picture of a sky that wasn't home as he turned to ashes, scattering across the ground of the foreign planet.

Silence was all that remained.

Tony's hand shook as he pressed it to his lips, holding in the scream that wanted to rip it's way out of him and tear apart what was left of his body with it. 

_"If you die, I feel like that's on me."_

He closed his eyes as they began to fill, trying to push out the memory that had so cruelly invaded his mind. The view of the New York City skyline flashed behind his eyelids, a flash of red, the suit he had spent weeks crafting to protect that young life, the battle armour he died in.

_"I'm sorry."_

_"_ _Sorry doesn't cut it."_

Tony pressed his lips together, holding in the sob that wanted to accompany the tear that slipped past his closed lids. He swore he could feel his arc reactor crack from the impact of his heart shattering. He didn't risk opening his eyes, not wanting to see the empty space where a child once stood, not ready to die.

_"I wanted to be like you."_

_"I wanted you to be better."_

Now he would never get the chance, to be the hero Tony always knew he could be, a hero better than Iron Man. A man better than Tony Stark. He shook his head, no, he already was a better man than Tony could ever be. Another tear slid down his face, even though he was just a boy.

Tony had heard stories of parents who outlived their children. Young lives lost to a drunk driver going down the wrong road as they leaned too heavily on the gas peddle, to a bad man who took it upon himself to decide who lived or died as he walked into a nearby school or to diseases that couldn't be cured, their names softly spoken by a doctor who had seen it happen too many times.

Tony trembled, every story, every memory, every moment taking rest upon his weary shoulders.

He lost his son to a war.

His war.

Tony stayed silent, even as his last words replayed in his head like a mantra, even as the memories of that funny, intelligent, brave boy flooded what was left of his mind, even as his old, battered heart turned to broken glass in his chest and his hand clutched the arc reactor, wanting to tear it out of his chest. Tony had experienced many pains in his life, betrayals, losses, consequences of things he just couldn't fix. But this, this was a pain that just couldn't be described, one that he thought he would never experience. The pain of a parent. But he remained silent.

 If nothing else, Tony could give a moment of silence for a fallen soldier.

Peter was more than worthy of that.

**Author's Note:**

> Well that was fun. Honestly, anyone who read this has my sincerest apologies. Thank you for reading though.


End file.
